Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Spiced Walnuts

If you’re looking for a way to spice up your Thanksgiving side dish menu, this recipe for twice-baked sweet potatoes with spiced walnuts has got you covered. It’s the bomb! Not only will you get a gold star for presentation, but it tastes great too.

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes:
6 sweet potatoes {aka. yams, so not the whiteish ones}
1 tablespoon oil
5 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini marshmallows

Spiced Walnuts:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/3 cups walnuts
1 tablespoon five-spice powder

Sweet Potatoes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Move one rack to the middle of the oven and place another on the lowest spot. Place a baking sheet lined with foil {or a silpat} on the lowest rack before preheating oven.

Lightly coat sweet potatoes with oil. Pierce the potatoes all over before placing them directly on the upper rack of the oven. Bake about an hour, or until tender. Cool slightly before cutting each potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out all but about a 1/4-inch layer of potato and place in a saucepan. Put 6 of the shells on a baking sheet and toss the remaining shells on the compost pile. Heat the sweet potato “guts” over medium heat. While heating, mash for about 5 minutes or until a tad dry. Stir in butter, syrup, cinnamon, and salt and whisk until the mixture is smooth.

Scoop the sweet potato mixture out evenly between the shells.

Walnuts:
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper {I use a Silpat. It’s the only way to go!}. In a large skillet, mix butter, walnuts, sugar and spice mix. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the walnuts are coated and the sugar begins to caramelize. Do not overcook or the walnuts will burn. Spread the walnuts evenly on the prepared baking sheet, cool, remove from pan and chop.

Mini Marshmallows 

Divide mini marshmallows evenly over the tops of the sweet potatoes. Bake about 15 minutes or until marshmallows begins to bubble. Add walnuts and serve piping hot.